Rumour Has it

As you walk into school, everyone is whispering, a very concerned Sam and Tara rush to you.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"Should I not be?" You remark.

"Everyone is whispering about you." Tara explained.

"Why? because of the party stuff? I thought that was all over." You sighed.

"No someone spread a rumour that you're a werewolf." Tara muttered to you quietly.

"What, who?" You gasped.

"We don't know, but only a few people knew right?" Tara looked at you.

"Yeah, you, Sam, Zack and Nate, that's it." You replied.

"So it has to be Zack or Nate." Tara stated.

"Or Sam." You growled.

"Sam wouldn't do that." Tara snapped.

"And you think Zack and Nate would?" You hissed.

"Nate definitely, you two hate each other." Tara remarked still angry.

'That's what she thinks but we were meant to go to prom together.'

"Fine, I'll talk to them." You sigh, calming yourself down.

"Good, we will try to diffuse the rumours." Tara smiled.

"Thanks." You head for the gym to search for Zack and Nate.

You head towards the gym but barrel into Nate whose leaving the locker rooms.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, shocked.

"Can we talk?" You asked.

"Sure." He replied, you pull him to one side.

"I'm just going to come out with it, did you start a rumour about me?" You questioned.

"No and I'm hurt you think I'd do that." He looked at you sadly.

"I didn't think you did, Sam and Tara did, I told them I would ask you." You explained.

"What was the rumour?" Nate asked.

"You haven't heard?" Nate shook his head in response.

"It's about you know what." You raise your eyebrows at him.

"I definitely wouldn't say anything, that puts all of us at risk." Nate explained, looking concerned.

"That's all I needed to know." You reassured him.

"I'll ask about, see if I can find out where the rumour came from." He smiled at you.

"Thankyou." You press a kiss on his cheek and head out of the gym to confront Zack.

Zack just happens to be pacing towards you, up the hallway.

"We need to talk." You declared firmly.

"About what?" He asked playing dumb.

"You started a rumour about me!" You snapped.

"No, I told Taylor because I thought I could trust her." Zack explained.

"You told the girl who bullies me a secret which affects three of us!" You snarled.

"I didn't mean to it just slipped out." Zack stuttered.

"Stay away from me." You storm off.

You storm away from him, tears fill your eyes. You slam into Sam.

"Whoa, who upset you?" Sam asked.

"Zack!" You sniffled.

"What did he do?" Sam's tone harsh.

"It doesn't matter, I'm skipping school." You sobbed.

"Liv, tell me!" Sam snapped.

"You're not my dad so stop acting like him." You huffed sadly.

You practically sprint out of the school, you head to the woods, the spot you found on your own, the old windy, oak tree, which branches intertwine each other, you sit by the base of a tree, sobbing into your knees, you hear someone approaching you.

"We meet again little miss, what seems to have upset you?" It was the werewolf you met last time you were in the woods.

"Just a stupid rumour." You sniffled.

"I know the feeling, want me to sit with you kid?" He asked.

"Sure." You pat the hard ground beside you, the man sits down.

"Where's your boyfriend tonight?" He asked.

"I don't have a boyfriend, I came here alone." You replied bluntly.

"Okay, then the protective boy that you came with last time." The man asked.

"Nate, he's at school." You replied.

"And you chose to skip?" The man gave you a sympathetic look.

"Mhmm." You muttered.

"Want to meet the gang?" He smiled.

You look at him and smile "Sure, why not."

He helps you up from the base of the tree and leads you further into the woods, you meet a pack of people, four of them to be exact, he introduces you to his pack. The pack wave at you.

"That's my wife Orla, my daughter Kenzie, my son Liam and that is our pack leader Mac." He points to each of them.

"Nice to meet you all." You reply politely.

Mac eyes you a moment before approaching you.

"I see you go to the local high school." He spat as he notices the logo on the books in your bag.

"Erm, yes." You remark, shocked.

"Perhaps you know my nephew?" He asked.

"Who?" You questioned.

"Nate." He blurted.

"Nate's your nephew!" You gasped.

"Yup, his dad has his own pack, this is mine, where's yours, you shouldn't be wandering the woods alone." He smirks at you a mean look in his eyes.

As if on cue, Nate comes running out of the bushes. Tackling his uncle to the ground. You could smell the anger on him.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Nate screams as he has Mac pinned to the floor, his eyes glowing.

"Nate! Stop! He was just asking if I knew you." You grab his back and Nate begins to slowly back away from Mac.

Mac stands up, fixes his clothes and looks between you and Nate. "You're awfully protective of her, she's the kid of Jones right?" He laughs.

"So?" Nate remarks, Mac turns his attention to you.

"Maybe you should run along kid before you end up like your father." His words engrain in your mind, As you turn to leave, Mac leaps at you, he attempts to hurt you but it's like some forcefield prevented him. He spins around on his heel, glaring at Nate.

"Did you imprint on her?" He hissed.

"No! It will be her dad or brother." Nate explained, maintaining eye contact with his uncle.

"If I find out you imprinted on her, you can kiss goodbye to the pack." Mac warned Nate.

"Whatever." Nate spat dismissively.

Nate puts his arm around you and leads you back through the woods to his truck, you climb into the passenger seat and he takes you home. When you arrive home you decide to head straight for bed since you're exhausted from today, on your way to your room you hear your mom coughing, you enter her room to check on her.

"MOM!" You scream as your mother tumbles to the ground.

You rush to help her up and carefully place her back into her bed, she's a little groggy and she gives you a delicate smile.

"Sweetie I'm fine." She tries to reassure you.

"Mom, you fell, but please call for me if you need anything, get some rest, love you." You insist.

You kiss her head and return to your room, as you're about to settle down to sleep, Sam bursts into your room.

"Ever heard of knocking?" You snap at him.

"Ever heard of letting me know you're okay?" Sam remarks sarcastically.

"Yes, I'm fine okay now go to bed." You dismissively tell him.

Sam stands there a moment "Why are you mad at me?" He asks confused.

"Your best friend told Taylor then you tried to blame Nate!" You snap.

"Because Nate was the most likely subject." Sam explains.

"How? He's one of us, he isn't going to put himself at risk to spread a rumour." You hiss at him.

"No he's a jerk, just like his dad." Sam balls up his fists, anger drips from him.

"GET OUT!" You scream at Sam, pointing towards your door.

He turns to leave but hesitates, he spins around and glares at you, "You were with him today weren't you?" His voice full of anger as he questions you.

"No." You reply firmly, knowing that was a blatant lie. Sam grunts and storms out of your room.